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What do you all know about mudskippers? I have an empty 20 gallon and I feel like going oddity.

I think shini knows a good deal about them. Let me see, they often spend more time out of the water than in it, they are brackish, they'll eat almost anything and I do believe they need excellent water quality. I'm not sure off the top of my head about tank size, but hopefully shini will drop by soon and fill in the gaps.

HTH

I won't pretend to know a lot about skippers, but I DO know that a 20 isn't big enough.

I pmed shini (the avatar kind of gave it away) But, he hasn't gotten back to me in detail yet. I remember he said a pair could live in a 30 gallon, and a 20L is only 6 in. shorter than a 30 gallon.

I did some more research, and I found that, Periophthalmus barbatus is the most common mudskipper found for sale. Fortunately, it is also one of the smallest, hitting only 6". I'm sure a 20L will be enough room for a pair of 6" fish. Now, that is assuming that P barbatus is the species I'm buying. I obviously can't tell for sure, (I'm lucky if I can find a skipper at all!) but that seems to be the most likely, so I'll plan for that.

I was thinking of siliconing a plate of plexiglass 3/4 up the tank as a land area. I would have a shallow pool on the bottom, with trees acting as ladders to lead the skippers to the higher level.

EDIT:

I found this on a skipper website called New York Tails:

For those hobbyists without a lot of room, there are the smaller species of mudskippers, of which Pearse's mudskipper, Periophthalmus novemradiatus, is the most commonly imported. Reaching about 4" in length, a group of 4-6 can be housed in a 20 gallon long (30" x 12" tank.

I'm sure I have space for at least a pair

Last edited by djtj at 19-May-2005 16:19

LoL, the magic of a little research. I think I've forgotten the bulk of my 'skipper research about specific species, lol, but the stuff you're saying rings a bell.

I think I might remember saying that 3 would be good in a 30 gallon; I'm also trying to think what might have caused me to say that.:%)Anyway, like I said in the PM you sent me, I'm hesitant to say a 20 gallon is a good home for 'skippers. When they want to be active they can be, although on the other hand I have seen them sit around and not do anything at all.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

If you're sure, then why ask? Also, by 6", I assume you mean 9", correct? I have personally seen full grown Atlantic skippers larger than six inches in length.


My uncle keeps a few native Taiwanese species, which are much smaller than the more common Atlantic, but harder to find; they only reach say, 5 cm.

"If you're sure, then why ask?"

Now, if nobody asked questions about fish, do you think this site would be around very long? That's the beauty of message boards, getting a second opinion.

Now, like I was trying to tell shini in a pm a few minutes ago (pssst your mailbox is full) the skippers are being delayed, if I don't drop the idea. I haven't checked any of my 3 LFSs for skippers, so I don't know what species I'll get. I might get lucky and wind up with a smaller kind.

Except that most of the threads on this site do not contain individuals hardwired on a given idea, and yet post regardless. Why?

Besides, it doesn't sound to me like you're considering a second opinion.

Furthermore, Atlantics are probably the most common skipper I know of around here. That's all I've ever gotten in (odd, since we're right on the cusp of the pacific).

How do you know I'm not considering a second option. For your information, I've aready come up with a stocking list for a ram tank.